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Team Bios
Team Bios was a section of the Pirates Online Website that was removed from public viewing, probably due to the fact it is obsolete, as most of the "Team Members" or "Developers" who have their Bio on there no longer work for Pirates Online. The page can still be found, however in the Site Map of the Pirates Online Website. The Actual Bios are more like Q&As with the Developers that actual information about themselves. David - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Angry Rodent, Terror of the High Seas. Clearly he'd be a mean pirate. Where are you originally from? Mountain View, CA Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? Yes, I'm a certifiable EVE addict at the moment. What was your first job ever? Christmas tree shaper. It turns out Christmas trees don't come in that nice triangle shape we get them in. You shape them all year with a machete that so when Christmas comes they'll look nice. How did you get started in game development? What other games have you worked on? I designed my own games with a paper and pencil since I was a little kid and when I got access to computers later in my life, continued my passion there. I worked on a ton of Unix games that no one has ever heard of now (Legend, Keep Wizard, Arena), moved onto multiplayer titles (Area, Rogue, Valhalla), and then started on PC titles later. I've contributed to the design of more games than I can shake a stick at. (Mtrek Sanctum, Full Spectrum Leader, etc.). Oddly enough, it was only 5 years ago that I took up game creation as my full-time career. Prior to that, I just did it as an obsessive second job while working in mainstream software development. What skill would you specialize in if you were a Pirate? I think I'd like to be a ship captain. Blasting stuff with cannons is a lot of fun, but someone needs to drive the boat too! What's your dream car? Ferrari Testarossa. Old-school, maybe, but always fun. Felipe - Artist Where are you originally from? Mexico City. How long have you worked at the VR Studio? What's the best part of working here? I've been working at the VR Studio for almost 10 years. The best part of working here is working with people that really care about making the best games possible. What is your favorite character from the films? Why? Jack -- I like his personality and that fact that he's so unpredictable. You can never tell if he's tricking you or helping you. What was your first job ever? A friend and I would go around the neighborhood on Saturday mornings and wash people's cars. What do you personally like best about this game? Creating your own pirate. The customization options are really diverse with millions of customization options - everything from the bridge of your pirates nose the pattern of their jacket can be changed. What are you most frightened of? Any fears or phobias? I cannot stand heights, walking close to the edge of a roof of a tall building or climbing up a really big ladder sometimes terrifies me. What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean movie scene? The scene where Davy Jones summons the Kraken to go after Jack Sparrow. I think I like this part the best because you're gonna be able to battle the Kraken in-game! What's your dream car? One that would fly over LA traffic and Mexico city traffic when I go there to visit my family. What's your worst bad habit? Not returning phone calls or emails. Ellen - Producer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Esmerelda Hexhazzard. Where are you originally from? Milwaukee, WI. Favorite breakfast cereal? Fruity Pebbles. Do you play MMOs? Which ones? Yes, Kingdom of Loathing and Toontown. What pirate army would you use to battle an undead skeleton army? The flaming skull cannonballs you can fire from ship-to-ship. I like watching the masts burn. What was the last CD you bought? I've been listening to a lot of Jay-Z's Kingdom Come and Lady Sovereign's Public Warning. What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean movie scene? My favorite scene is at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest when Elizabeth tricks Jack with a kiss then cuffs him to the Black Pearl. You're a pirate with a talking parrot on your shoulder. What one phrase would you teach it? "What's your sign? What skill would you specialize in if you were a pirate? Grog making. What's your dream car? Honda Odyssey. What's your most prized/tangible physical possession? My Sidekick. What was your first job ever? My first real job was a coffee singer at a bookstore cafe. It was a really great gig - drink free coffee and read at the same time! Though it can get annoying when you have to explain the difference between a cappuccino and a latte over and over again. But it was 1992 and people are more coffee-educated now. Quick. The Kraken is about to drag you to the bottom of the sea. What one item would you take with you? A hoodie -- it might be cold in there! Wait, that's two items... drat! Darren - Artist If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Lazy-Eyed Jack. Where are you originally from? Torrence, CA. Do you have any special talents or hobbies? I don't know if I call it a special talent, but I like to snowboard. I've been doing it for 16 years and haven't gotten tired of it yet or too busted up. Favorite sports team? New England Patriots. What are you most frightened of? Any fears or phobias? Falling off a cliff, ledge or a very tall ladder. I remember as a kid visiting the Grand Canyon and standing at the edge and getting that feeling of dizziness. I still get that way to this day, but luckily and for some reason I'm not affected on ski lifts. What's your dream car? A 1967 blue and white Shelby Cobra 427. What is the most challenging aspect of working on Pirates of the Caribbean Online? Rewarding? One big challenge is having to work so quickly on such a large scale product, and at the same time, keeping in line with the overall franchise consistencies. The most rewarding part is that I'm contributing to an unforgettable experience that might influence maybe one, two, or three people in a positive way. I like to think that the work I'm doing has some type of affect on their lives and could bring about future creative inspiration. And let's not forget, pirates are just exciting and cool! What was your first job ever? In high school I worked at Jack in the Box. What's your Favorite Movie of all time? Unforgiven, with Clint Eastwood. Quick, the Kraken is about to drag you to the bottom of the sea. What one item do you take with you? My iPod. Redmond - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Gilthian Goldmaster. Where are you originally from? Manila, Philippines. Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? Yes, World of Warcraft. Who is your favorite character from the films? Why? Will Turner -- I always liked the idea of making your own cutlass. What's different about this game vs. other pirate-themed games? Other MMOs? It's the only MMO that has Jack Sparrow and other Pirates of the Caribbean film characters in it! Plus, it's built to be family friendly and plays on a variety of computers. Favorite movie of all time? The Return of the King. Well, actually the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. You're a talking pirate with a parrot on your shoulder. What one phrase do you teach it? "Look behind you." It's a long shot, but if I'm in a fight and my parrot says that and then my opponent actually looks behind -- it might give me and edge. What do you personally like best about this game? I really like the mini-games that you can play to accumulate gold, especially poker! What are you most frightened of? Any fears or phobias? My hard drive crashing when I haven't backed-up! What's your dream car? Toyota Prius. I have an 84-mile commute every day so fuel efficiency is key. Asad - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Davy Deckdagger. Where are you originally from? Bangladesh. Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? Not at the moment, but a played World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy for a long time. Favorite movie of all time? The Godfather. What's different about this MMO vs. other pirate themed games? Other MMOs? It has real-time cinematics plus classic MMO elements like ship combat, PVP, Treasure Maps, and Notoriety all meshed into one. I like the way the camera moves around and lets you see different angles too. What do you personally like about this game Definitely the ship-to-ship combat and the PVP (player-versus-player) arenas. How did you get started in game development? What other games have you worked on? My first job out of college was working for a game development company. So far I've worked on Dark Rift, Cardinal Syn, Fear Effect, Pool of Radiance II, and Toontown. Quick, the Kraken is about to drag you to the bottom of the sea. what one item do you take with you? My oxygen tank. Ian - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? I am a pirate! Where are you originally from? All over the place. I was born in Rota, Spain, and moved through Ecuador and up and down the east coast of the States with my family. While growing up, I spend the most time in Key West, Florida, and northern Virginia, right near Washington DC. How long have you worked at VR Studio? What's the best part of working there? I've been here about a year and a half. Things I've liked include the very casual work environment, crazy smart coworkers, and the freedom to spend time on things that interest me! Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? All the time! I started online gaming with MUDs, and the first of those was Gemstone III back in the days of Prodigy, AOL, and Genie. Since then I've played just about every kind of online text game you could name. MMOs I've played recently include Ragnarok Online, Lineage 2, Tales Weaver, City of Villains, and EVE Online. And of course right now I'm playing World of Warcraft. My favorite character is an undead Mage. Do you have any special talents or hobbies? I have way too many hobbies for my own good. I'm a musician (sax, drums) and a martial artist (Soo Bahk Do, Aikido). I'm also terrible at juggling, performing magic, singing karaoke, debating philosophy in foreign languages, and winning at competitive online games, but I try to do them all anyway. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? What would you do? If I could go right now and be there in a second, I'd have a meal at my favorite little fast-serving curry stand just outside the JR train station in Akihabara, Tokyo. What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean (Black Pearl or Dead Man's Chest) movie scene? Has to be the three-way fight between Jack, Will, and Norrington at the end of Dead Man's Chest. What has been the most rewarding aspect of creating Pirates of the Caribbean Online? The feeling of completing a project and actually seeing it in a game, being used by real people. That really makes you feel like an important part of something bigger. Diane - Artist If you were a pirate, what would your name be? My name would be Typhoon. Where are you originally from? Shanghai, China How long have you worked at VR Studio? What's the best part of working there? I've worked at VR Studio for a little over six years. The best part of working here is that you get to maximize your imagination every day! Do you have any special talents or hobbies? Oil painting, architectural, and product designing. Favorite breakfast cereal? Honey Bunches of Oats. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? What you would do? ''' I would go to Asia, especially to China, and would love to run an office developing Disney Online games. '''Morning person or night owl? Working in the field that I do -- of course, I'm a night owl. What's the difference about this game vs. other pirate themed games? Other MMOs? ' This game is an extension of the movies, so you'll be able to play alongside your favorite characters from the film. Plus, the world will continue to grow and expand with the Pirates franchise. '''What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean (Black Pearl or Dead Man's Chest) movie scene? ' My favorite was the moonlight scene in Black Pearl where you realize that Barbossa & his crew are undead and the skeleton and human images interchange with one another. 'What are you most frightened of? Any fears or phobias? ' I'm most frightened of loneliness so my greatest phobia is being marooned on a deserted island! Not very piratey, eh? '''Quick, the Kraken is about to drag you down to the bottom of the sea. What one item do you take with you? My cordless mouse. I can survive and change everything with the mouse. Matt - Operations If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Captain Dread of the Shadows Where are you originally from? ''' Born in Wisconsin, raised in New Jersey. '''How long have you worked at VR Studios? What's the best part of working there? 3.5 years. The best part has been working with a team of incredible talents and having an opportunity to learn something new every day. Favorite pirate saying? The cornerstone of all Pirate speak: "arrrgh." Don't let its simplicity fool you -- it's all in the delivery. One can express affirmation, anger, excitement, fear, happiness, surprise, and upset all with the same syllable. Do you have any special talents or hobbies? I've dabbed in independent film, have tried my hands in pyrotechnics (and still have all my fingers on my hands), have a passion for both history and current events, and am continuing my education in business. Would you rather walk the plank or be marooned on an island? Marooned on an island. Tom Hanks found a way to get off that island, and his character was only half as smart as me. Favorite breakfast cereal? Real pirates don't eat breakfast. Whats the difference about this game vs. other pirate-themed games? Other MMOs? ' For too long, MMOs have only been available to a small audience. Disney is doing something wonderful by making sure Pirates can run on almost anyone's computer while still being a very graphically rich and enjoyable game to play. '''If you could have any superhero power, what would it be? ' The ability to fly. It is very practical. Traffic jams are no longer a concern, you don't have to wait at the airport for security screening, and if you ever forget where you parked, finding your car from above beats the heck out of walking aisle to aisle. '''Favorite movie of all time? "Spies Like Us" - Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase. It answers the question: what happens when two golfballs get erroneously promoted into a government-defined role that would be tough for even James Bond? What was your first job ever? Landscaper - which is an euphemism for "lawn mower pusher". It taught me the value of a hard day's work -- and how easy it is to get heatstroke if you're not careful. What has been the most challenging aspect of creating Pirates of the Caribbean Online? Rewarding? ''' The most challenging is having to direct and lead the efforts of dozens of people across many teams. There are a lot of moving parts to a project of this size, and very often we have to make big decisions before the game has even been written. The most rewarding is seeing the fruits of the passion of our players - for a lot of people, these games are a very special part of their life, and I'm glad to know that all of our hard work and high standards can actually make a difference in a person's life. Kris - Artist '''What is your pirate name? Cap'n Snarly McOuchington Where are you originally from? South suburbs of Chicago How long have you worked at VR Studio? What's the best part of working there? I've been at the VR Studio for about a year. I'd say the best part of working here would be the incredible talent of the team. That and having an excuse to watch Pirates of the Caribbean during work for "research" purposes. ;-) Favorite breakfast cereal? The obvious answer here is Cap'n Crunch, but I prefer Bite Sized Frosted Mini Wheats. How did you get started in game development? What other games have you worked on? I ended up in game development after I had started working at a Game Development company as a Secretary. After I had been there for a couple of months and got to see what the doing, I realized that I could finally put my painting degree to good use. A few months later, after bribing some of the artists in the company with lunch in exchange for Photoshop and 3DS Max Lessons, I applied for and became a Level Artist. Along with a couple of titles that never shipped, I've worked on Summoner 2 and Punisher. What is your worst bad habit? Leaving the cap off the toothpaste (or so claims my husband). Who is your favorite character from the films? Why? Probably Jack Sparrow, though he's got a huge ego -- he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, and he adds most of the humor to the film. If you could have any super hero power, what would it be? Super-sonic speed. That way I could get boring things done quickly and have more time to enjoy more exciting things in life. What are you most frightened of? Any fears or phobias? Snakes -- absolutely can't stand snakes. Bruce - Artist What is your pirate name? Ralf the Re-Animator. Where are you originally from? North Canton, Ohio. How long have you worked at the VR Studio? What's the best part of working there? Since May of 1997 when it was still a part of Walt Disney Imagineering's Research and Development Division. The best part of VR Studio is the people I work with. It's great working in an environment that allows a lot of free-flowing and spur-of-the-moment creativity. You're a pirate with a talking parrot on your shoulder. What one phrase do you teach it? "I'm with Stupid." What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl or Dead Man's Chest) movie scene? The part where Barbossa reveals he's actually a living corpse, and he's not too happy about it. If you could have any super hero power, what would it be? Definitely flying. But I'd have to overcome that mild fear of heights. Favorite book of all time? Moby Dick. What's your worst bad habit? Procrastination. Chris - Producer What is your pirate name? The Dread Pirate Brunner-the-Company-Guy. Where are you originally from? I was born in Southern California, but I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, which is also where I went to college. I moved back to Los Angeles for this job a little over 2 years ago. Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? Yes. I play World of Warcraft quite a lot. I also tried out Eve Online for awhile. Favorite movie of all time? Ocean's Eleven. Do you have any talents or hobbies? I can build a computer from parts real quick-like. Oh yeah, the women really dig that. Which pirate accessory would you rather have: an eye patch, peg leg, or hook? Eye patch for purely practical reasons. It's hard to walk with a peg leg and hard to type with a hook. I could get used to a lack in depth perception. What was the last CD you bought? Franz Ferdinand. What's different about this game vs. different pirate themed games? Other MMOs? As an avid gamer and MMO player, I can say that our game has some really interesting gameplay features such as real-time combat, custom ships, and sea warfare. What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl or Dead Man's Chest) movie scene? The big fight scene at the end of Curse of the Black Pearl was probably my favorite scene in that one, and the water wheel fight scene was probably my favorite in Dead Man's Chest. You're a pirate with a talking parrot on your shoulder. What one phrase do you teach it? "How you doin'?" Quick, the Kraken is about to drag you down to the bottom of the sea. What one item do you bring with you? Elizabeth Swann! =) Jason - Producer What is your pirate name? Cutthroat Dirk. Where are you originally from? San Francisco, CA. How long have you worked on the Premium Products Team? What's the best part of working here? I've been working at Disney for 10 years now. The best parts of working here are the cool projects - and incredibly smart people. Favorite sports team? San Jose Sharks. I'm a huge hockey fan. Do you play any other MMOs? Video games? Which ones? World of Warcraft and, of course, Toontown. Do you have any special talents or hobbies? Hmmm. Aside from working really late? I'm a great cook. What's your dream car? Any car that would fly over the 405 freeway instead of making me crawl down it during traffic. What is your favorite Pirates of the Caribbean (Black Pearl or Dead Man's Chest) movie scene? The very opening of Curse of the Black Pearl, when young Elizabeth Swann sings "A Pirate's Life For Me". It's so ethereal and creepy, and such a great homage to the theme park attraction. It gives me goose bumps every time I see it. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you bring with you? Hiking in the Swiss Alps. My wife and I spent a week doing that a few years ago, and had a great time. What was the last CD you bought? My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade. What was your best Halloween Costume of all time? I put together a really lame costume in 5 minutes one year by running a white t-shirt over with my car, putting it on, and stuffing my pockets with tree branches. Then I won first place with it at a party, go figure. Quick, the Kraken is about to drag you down to the bottom of the sea. What one item do you take with you? My Kill-a-Kraken kit. Or a scuba tank. Can I take both? David - Artist If you were a pirate, what would your name be? In the game, my pirate name will be The Cha. He's a big bald guy thats' going to specialize in captaining ships and throwing bombs. Since you know about him more than any other player character in the game, it's safe to say that right now he's the most notorious player in Pirates of the Caribbean Online. Make sure you join his pirate guild! Favorite pirate saying? "Swab the poop deck!" I guess it should just be deck, but poop is so much more fun to say. You know you want to say it. Would you rather walk the plank or be marooned on an island? That's easy. I would much rather be marooned. I watch "Survivorman". I know what to do. Do you have any special hobbies or talents? Not long after I moved to Los Angeles, I started taking up Salsa Dancing. I'm hooked. I go at least twice a week. How did you get started in game development? What other games have you worked on? As a little kid, I was always drawing and creating stories. At first I wanted to draw comic books, but after taking a class in animation, I was hooked. I grew up in a family that encouraged me and my to brothers to do the things we love. I've worked on over a dozen published titles including SOCOM II, Jurassic Park, and Fight Club. Perfect type of Pizza? A day old New York slice -- just out of the fridge. It's great for breakfast. Bridget - Artist If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Evil Eye Ellen. What did you do before coming to work for VR Studios. Before coming to the VR Studio, I was a modeler and texture painter for a couple companies that made special effects for movies and commercials. Before getting into computers, I was a professional sand sculptor. I worked for a company that made large sculptures out of sand all around the world. My traditional training in fine art, (drawing, painting, and sculpting) has been a tremendous help in my work now designing 3-D models on the computer. What was your first job ever? Selling Icees and hotdogs at the Del Mar Fair. Favorite pirate saying? Shiver me timbers. Name three works to describe yourself. Tall, sarcastic, and artistic. What pirate weapon would you use to battle an Undead Skeleton Army? Bombs. Lots and lots of bombs. Any special talents? Hula-hooping, juggling, and sand sculpting. Not at the same time. What was your favorite part of the latest film, Dead Man's Chest? I really liked Davy Jones' crew on the second "Pirates" movie. The character design as well as the attention to detail that was put into making those characters was amazing and inspiring. Samir - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Notorious S.A.M. What's your dream car? A white Rolls Royce Phantom... with a driver as long as I'm dreaming. Which Pirates of the Caribbean Character are you most like? Why? Weekdays I'm more serious like Will Turner. Weekends like a little crazier, like Jack Sparrow. What was your first job ever? I was a bagger at Albertsons. What was your favorite part of the latest film, Dead Man's Chest? The bone cage scene at the side of the cliff was awesome! Favorite breakfast cereal? Cap'n Crunch... tastes so good, but the roof of my mouth definitely pays the price. How did you get started in game development? I got lucky a couple of times. My hometown school, the University of Utah, happened to be one of the pioneers in computer graphics. So, after going there for college, I was really interested in doing graphics as a career. I went to UNC for grad school, and did a summer internship with the VR Studio after my first year. I really liked the environment at the studio, so I took a job here after I graduated. I got lucky again when our group morphed from an R&D group into a full-fledged game development studio. It was a lot of hard work, but luck definitely played a part. Would you rather walk the plank or be marooned on an island? Definitely be marooned... I'm a landlubber. Jack - Artist If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Cap'n Jack Timbers How long have you worked at VR Studio and what's the best part of working there? I've been here 3 1/2 years and as far as the best part of working here, it's a tie. Animating all day and the cool/talented people I get to work with. Do you have any special talents or hobbies? I'm an electric bassist and a fun Dad to my kids. I like to sail, record musical compositions, and trade foreign currencies. Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you most like? Why? Cap'n Jack because I skipper sailboats on weekends which means I'm responsible for my crew, and I give the orders for them to follow. Eye patch, or peg leg? That's tough... neither. I'll take an interchangeable hook hand! Name three words to describe yourself. Fun, happy, and laid-back. Favorite Pirates of the Caribbean villain? Hero? Villain: Davy Jones. Hero: Will Turner. James - Operation If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Morehead. More head than hair, that is. :) What was your favorite part of the latest film, Dead Man's chest? It would definitely have to be the awesome visual effects! Davy Jones and his army were very impressive. Tell us a little bit about your pirate re-enactments and how they have made their way into the game. In my hobby life, I participate in a pirate re-enactment group, which is not necessarily performing, but dressing in costume and doing the sort of things you'd expect pirates to do when they were walking the streets. That experience has helped give an additional perspective on the sorts of things a pirate may say do, how they act, etc. What's your dream car? The Black Pearl. Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? Yes: City of Heroes, Warcraft, and Diablo. Perfect type of pizza? Deep dish no anchovies. Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you most like? Probably Gibbs. He's not the guy who gives the orders but he is the guy that makes sure they are carried out. He's the one that the Captain counts on to keep the rum secure, the crew in line, and the ship sailing. Eye patch, or peg leg? Eye Patch. Jason - Programmer If you were a pirate, what would your name be? Dread Jason Treasureslipper. Do you play other MMOs? Which ones? I played World of Warcraft for a while. I had a Human Mage that was fun to play as well as a Night Elf Rogue. I eventually stopped playing so that I could get back to a regular sleep schedule. What's the best part of working at the VR Studio? I love designing and building games and interactive experiences, so getting to do that as a full-time job is awesome. The people here are also really great work with and are fun to be around. What pirate weapon would you use to battle an undead skeleton army? A tank would be good, but if there aren't any around a rocket launcher will do just fine. Oh, you wanted a pirate weapon! How about a good cutlass? Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you most like? Why? I'm most like the Kraken because I eat a lot! Favorite TV show? I don't really watch much TV. I mainly use my television to play console games instead. I prefer to call it research, and I take my research very seriously. :) What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? I might like to try creating my own board games or teaching game development someday. Dream vacation spot? Hawaii. I still think we need a studio funded "research trip" there to study the water and islands, but I don't think any of the upper management is with me on this. :-/ Category:Pirates Online Website